Disclaimer: FK is the property of James Parriott and Sony/Tristar, no copyright infringement intended Archiving: Any DP and Mel, all others please ask first Note: Oh, this is from Tracy's POV, first person Sleeping Beauty By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins) I know I'm in trouble the second I open my eyes. My blinds are drawn and I never close them all the way. Now I know that compared to rivers of blood and the like closed blinds seem like a pretty lack-luster bad omen. But trust me, after getting a first hand introduction to what goes bump in the night, anytime you wake up in pitch blackness... you know it's going to be bad. You see, my alarm is going off, and that means it's noon. High noon and the only light in my room is coming from the digital clock face. Of course, knowing it's going to be bad doesn't actually help much. I still have to get up. I groan and roll over in the general direction of the bathroom door. And I hit something. Actually... I hit someone. "Damn." I just stare at the sleeping man in my bed for the longest time. Slowly bits and pieces of the previous night start to present themselves. I'd been at a club, the Neurolux, with Jody and a couple of other gals from the precinct. Two for one margarita night. I groan and shut my eyes. We'd been complaining about the men, or lack there of, in our lives. And then... Miklos. I can't believe I actually picked up a guy at a bar and brought him home. God, I -never- do that. Well... once, but I'd that had been my Freshman year in college and I ended up dating him for 4 months so that doesn't count, not really. Oh who am I kidding? Of course it does! I'm such a slut! So I scramble past... Miklos, I don't even know his last name, God that's bad. And slink into the bathroom, trying not to wake him. I close the door, not all the way since it always gets stuck when I do. I've had this apartment 9 months and have been complaining since the day I moved in but still the Super hasn't done a thing. I may have to break his kneecaps. God I hate mornings. Turning on the water, I open the medicine cabinet and grab my toothbrush and paste. I'm half-way through my morning rituals before I happen to look up and catch myself in the mirror. I see something, my eyes go wide, and I spit a mouth full of Aquafresh out all over the mirror. Wiping away the blue and white foam, I look at my reflection again. Dead center on the side of my neck is a hickey from hell. And I don't mean a big bruise, I mean two little holes that declare loud and proud that 'yes I met a vampire, and yes I had a good time!' "Damn." I look at bite mark, then look at the bedroom door. I lean on it and it shuts with a click. Not that a stuck door is going to be much of a barrier... even if I -could- have locked it (something else to take up with the Super) that still wouldn't stop a vampire. "Damn." I usually don't swear so much, actually I rarely do at all, but for some reason that's the only word that seems to sum up my feelings this morning. For a lack of better ideas, I finish brushing my teeth. Then just go for it and finish everything else too. I shower, put on enough make-up to hide the dark circles under my eyes and get dressed. Black jeans and a loose cable-knit turtleneck, periwinkle. Well, why not? I throw on some socks, boots, my lucky earrings. And when all is said and done, it's 2 in the afternoon, I'm fully dressed and still very much trapped in my own bathroom. "This isn't going well," I mumble, sitting on the sink counter and fiddling with some imported shell-shaped soaps Jody got me for my last birthday. They had given me hives. It had been Jody's idea to go to Neurolux last night too. Two for two that girl. I give myself ten more minutes of cowering before deciding to square my shoulders and face Miklos. The door, however, has other ideas. When I said it gets stuck I was -not- kidding. We're talking a tug-of-war against the starting line of the Leafs. Anyway, eventually I'm successful and the door opens... sending me tumbling backwards to crack my tailbone hard against the tiled floor. Have I mentioned I hate mornings? I peek around the door and see that, despite the WWF racket I'd made, Miklos is still sound asleep. He must be a relatively young vampire. I don't really know too much about it, but I know that the younger they are the more sleep they need. Technically I could stake him now, just plunge a wooden soupspoon into his chest and rid the world of a denizen of the night. Oh boy, that's a homicidal little musing isn't it? Well, I know I'm not going to do it. He hadn't killed me had he? I figure the least I can do is return the favor. I stare at him for awhile. He looks... sensual. That's not a word I would usually use to describe a person. People do sensual things, a touch, a look, but I wouldn't normally just describe a person as just -being- sensual, like they embody it. But he does. He's got the kind of face you see in a crowd and later kick yourself for not tracking down. Straight nose, high cheekbones, strong jaw, hair like black silk ... this mouth that... wow. I can see why the girls let me go off with him last night. I keep staring. If this was TV he'd wake up and either a) smile sleepily and invite me back into bed or b) snarl savagely and try to kill me. This isn't TV. He's out cold... I can't say I'm not disappointed. I walk into my cramped, but functional kitchen and pull the bottle of bloodwine out of the 'fridge. It's sheer dumb luck that I actually have it. I stole it from Vachon. Yep, stole it. It was wrong, I know it but it's not like I make a habit of stealing. I'm not a clepto. It was just one of those things. I went to the Church, Vachon wasn't there. A pair of red silk panties were on the couch though... So this is what I figured, either Vachon is a cross dresser, or he has a girl friend. And though I got a good chuckle considering the first, I figured the second was a tad more likely. Anyway, I was mad, and I took revenge by stealing a bottle of blood. That's pretty pathetic huh? It was that or the guitar, but I thought he'd probably drain me if I touched his Gibson. I sigh and go back into the bedroom carrying the bottle. I sit down next to Miklos and he starts curling against my hip. Have I mentioned that he's drop dead gorgeous? Drop dead, heh. That's almost funny. More of last night is starting to come back to me, and not just the juicy bits. Miklos and I had actually talked for quite awhile at the club. About a lot of things, but mostly about not having anyone... I reach out and run my fingers down the side of his face. His skin is cool to the touch, not unpleasantly so, but it's noticeable. Pure morbid curiosity makes me check his pulse. He doesn't have one, but he sighs at the feel of my hand on him, a small smile tilting up the corners of his beautiful mouth. I'd told him I was alone. Not in the literal sense, after all, the other gals from the 96th had been getting sloshed at a table across the way... But, well, you know how it goes. Mom and Dad are getting a divorce, it's about time, but getting relegated to referee is not exactly fun. My partner... lets face it, Nick and I have never actually managed to have a conversation much beyond casework or the weather. Vachon, well, I already mentioned the panties didn't I? And the gals from work, none of us are really close. Even Jody and I have grown apart, people change, even sorority sisters. Miklos had listened, really listened, like he was relating to everything I said. I think I was the one who used the term 'kindred spirits' first, but he latched on to it pretty quick. He'd told me about his sister and friends. He'd been pretty vague, and in hindsight I find myself wondering if all the people he'd talked about weren't his vampire family. Something had obviously happened, something that would make this beautiful vampire drink alone at a mortal club. He hadn't been hunting, at least I'm pretty sure of that. I'm still alive after all. I don't know how long I sat there watching him sleep, but when I looked up at the clock it was nearly 4:30... time for me to head off to work. I thought about calling in sick, but the Dickenson report is due tonight and if I don't get it done Reese is going to have my head on a platter. "Hey." I rub Miklos's shoulder, trying to wake him as gently as possible. The sun won't be down for another hour or so, but I can't just leave him here to wake up and find me gone... Who knows what he'd think? He makes a noise halfway between a groan and a growl, and God help me but I like it. Sorta like a purr, but not quite. "Miklos?" His dark lashes flutter up and he looks at me with unfocused eyes. They're deep brown, I think I see a tinge of gold, but it fades so fast I can't be sure. He sits up and the covers puddle down to his waist. Chest. Um, let me just say 'wow,' I dare anyone to maintain eye contact with a guy with a chest like that. I do good though, I only stare at the smooth muscled expanse for a second... well, three tops. Lucky for me he's not really awake enough yet to notice. "Morning," I grin and he smiles back. He looks tousled, very confused and before I even realize it, I'm leaning forward and kissing that smile. His lips actually feel warm... maybe that's just in my head though, who knows. "Tracy," He sighs out my name and I can tell he's still not completely awake. Well, at least he remembers my name.... "Here," I hand him the bottle, not really knowing what else to do or say. He looks at it uncomprehending for a moment, then pulls the cork and takes a sniff. His eyes widen and then his head snaps up and he looks at me with this shocked and vaguely alarmed expression. I think I just scared a vampire... "You- you know?" He asks. He's staring at me like I just told him I was Elvis's love child and it finally clicks that maybe he's scared he broke the code last night and told me, a mortal, about the 'community.' "Um, for a while now actually." He doesn't say anything, so I keep going, "I know a couple of... you guys pretty well..." "Vachon." He says matter-of-factly. Now how did he know that? Maybe he saw us at the Raven? "Among others." I shrug. Since he didn't think I knew about vamps he must also think Vachon and I weren't a real item... which I guess, considering the size 4 panties, we weren't. "Though I've, um, never gotten quite as close to any of them as you and me..." Well -I- thought I was being pretty suave to bring up what happened last night like that, kinda poetic. But when he reaches up to the collar of my turtleneck and gently pulls it down to check exactly how 'close' we got, I feel myself go beet red. So much for the woman-of-the-world vibe I was trying for... At least I didn't giggle. I used to do that as a kid, giggle when I was nervous. Oh God, of course as soon as I think of it I start to giggle. Damn! He looks at me and I look up at the ceiling, trying not to burst out laughing. This is -not- funny! "Are you okay?" I look at him again, and all I see in his eyes is concern. Of course, given that I know damn well I'm bright red and on the verge of hysteria I probably deserve such concern... Oh wait, he's asking about the bite isn't he? "Um, yeah. I liked... I mean, you didn't hurt me." Oh God, well, so what, he knows I enjoyed it now. Might as well be honest right? He reaches out and touches my cheek, and almost without thinking about it I close my eyes, just feeling. "Beauty..." Beauty. He called me that last night too... and with his accent... He's Greek, it's a strange accent that sounds somehow guttural and lilting at the same time. It's having quite the effect on me. Oops, he's still talking. Better pay attention to the words and not just the voice huh? "Beauty, can I-" He sounds unsure of himself. Uh-oh, it's the big brush off. The 'last-night was great, but-' speech. Ugh, maybe I should have gotten out that soupspoon after all... I open my eyes and attempt to stare him down. If I have to hear the speech I'm going to make him squirm while he gives it dammit! "Could I... perhaps-" He doesn't -look- like he's trying to squirm his way out of here, actually, he looks kind of... hopeful? "Perhaps I could... see you again?" Oh God. I hadn't thought about that... See him again? As in a relationship? He's a -vampire-. A vampire I know next to nothing about. He has a job, he didn't say where though. He mentioned his sister had recently left town... I get the feeling they were close. Of course, if it was a sister in the vampire sense maybe it was also his girlfriend, which means this could all be a rebound thing. And wait a second here, maybe -I'm- rebounding. The whole Vachon thing after all. Of course, Vachon is, well Vachon. Chances are if I still wanted to- Uh-oh, he's looking at me with this weird expression, like he swallowed a bug. Why? It's been awhile, he's waiting for an answer. What if he's a killer? I can't just jump into dating a killer! Hell, it's 5 o'clock, I'm going to be late! Um, answer, need to- Well, what do I want? "Um, yeah, seeing you again would be... good." A smile splits his face, a shock of white teeth flashing across an open face. "For a moment there I feared you would bolt. You remind me of a story my grandmother told," His eyes seem to look past me as he remembers, his smile growing wistful. "Of a beautiful, but wild mare that would let no one near her. She would gallop off whenever anyone dare approach." "What happened?" All right, I admit it, I'm as sucker for a story. With me 'once upon a time' is the greatest pick-up line ever invented. But I -so- have to go to work. Nick has never actually beaten me there, but tonight he's going to. "She was eventually tamed," If he'd had it in him, he would have been blushing. He shifts his weight uneasily. "By a wise man with a stallion..." I can't help but burst out laughing. He looks so adorable when he's embarrassed! I guess he hadn't thought the story all the way through before he brought it up. I lean forward and kiss his cheek. "I have to go to work. Um, maybe you could, uh, leave your phone number or something?" "Work?" He raises a brow, then glances at the clock. He mumbles a few choice words under his breath, hoping maybe I won't hear. They're in Greek so I don't understand them anyway. "I too must go." "Where?" I blurt the question out, he looks startled. Well, if he wants a relationship he's going to tell me. After the Vachon-fiasco I've decided honesty is the best policy. Screw the Enforcers. "I work, as well as live, at the club Raven. Have for many years." He explains, "I am the bartender." I have about a million questions, but I -really- need to go to work... I suppose if it's meant to be I'll see Miklos again, right? "Maybe I'll stop by after my shift?" He seems to think about that, weighing the danger maybe, but in the end he nods slowly. "Your company would be most welcome, my beauty." He tells me with a small, almost shy smile. God, does he have any idea how attractive he is? Maybe not handsome in the GQ cover/James Bond sort of way, but there is something about him. Something innately appealing. I smile back, "Okay, I'm going to be incredibly late now. I'll see you in a few hours." And with a small kiss I get up and head for the door. Behind me I can hear him getting dressed, and for some reason, despite what we did last night, I don't sneak a peek until I've grabbed my stuff and am closing the front door behind me. He's almost dressed, he should be leaving soon himself. I head to the elevator, overly aware that with traffic I'm going to be at least 20 minutes late as it is and I can't wait any longer... I can only hope that I won't come home tonight to a stereoless apartment... The elevator doors open with a chime just as Miklos comes out behind me. I jump a bit, for some reason I'd been expecting him to use the window like Vachon always had. Guess I should learn not to compare the two so much. "Hi again," I smile somewhat self-consciously. He smiles, then leans over and presses a kiss against my mouth. Hey, this is actually the first time he's kissed me since we woke up, the other two times were me kissing him... Wow, I guess the relationship has officially started. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Should I continue? 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